Depending on where you live, you may need to paint your home as little as every 4 to 6 years. This certainly applies to Florida homeowners near the coast, as the sun, sand, and salt are not kind to paint.
Have you looked at your home and noticed that it isn’t looking as fresh as it used to? Maybe the paint is starting to peel a bit, or the colors are faded from long exposure to the sun.
If you are getting ready to repaint your home, now is the perfect time to change up the color! This opens a world of questions about choosing the right exterior house paint colors.
Not to fear, we are going to walk you through picking the right color, or color combination, for your home.
Start with Your Limits
Here in Florida, it is common for neighborhoods to have limits or rules about what colors you can choose for your home’s exterior. So, before you even enter the paint chip aisle, check and be sure your home owner’s association or deed restrictions don’t dictate your choices.
If you are limited, you typically find that you have 4-6 colors to choose from. Once you choose the color, there will be a couple of colors to choose from for accenting.
Consider What You Can’t Change
Unless you are planning a complete overhaul of the exterior of your home, there are certain elements that you can’t change and will need to match your paint color too.
For example, your roof takes up a large amount of visual real estate when it comes to the curb appeal of your home. Because of this, you’ll want your home’s paint color to compliment the roof.
To match your paint colors to the roof, look for undertones. Should you be looking at warm tones such as browns and reds? Or should you be looking at cooler tones like blues, greys, and blacks?
Look at Your Home’s Style for Exterior Painting
Take into consideration when your home was built and the architectural style. Some home styles are so specific that if you try to get too creative with color, it will just look jarring.
An example of this would be a classic Federal-style home that is painted in a bright green. This is jarring because it is a certain style of home that is traditionally painted certain colors.
If you aren’t sure what will work, you can look at other homes. This will give you an idea for what color combinations look good on each style of home.
The Florida Style
Us Floridians are lucky because we have more freedom when it comes to color. If you happen to live on the coast, or just near the water, you’ll notice that tropical and bright colors are commonplace.
If this is the case, don’t be afraid to consider a nice coral or seafoam. You could even choose a bright sunny yellow, teal, or flamingo pink.
Look Around the Neighborhood
Don’t be that one house on the street that is neon orange. You are affecting the entire street, and your neighbors won’t appreciate you “making a statement”.
This doesn’t mean that you have to fit exactly into the color trends of the houses around you. You should select a color that is complimentary and won’t just be garish.
Remember when we talked about tropical Florida colors earlier? Taking a gaze around your neighborhood will tell you quickly whether or not these colors are appropriate for your home.
Don’t Trust Paint Chips
There you are, standing indoors comparing two shades of taupe that look almost the same. This is a terrible way to choose a paint color for the exterior of your home.
The best thing you can do is buy a small bit of paint of each color. Then paint a small patch on the outside of your home.
Now you have a bigger sample of the color to get a better feel for it. Plus, you can see what the color will look like in the natural lighting.
You can also view the color throughout the day. The sun’s light changes as the day goes by, so the way the paint will look is also going to change.
Don’t Forget the Trim
You will need to choose one main color for the body of your home, but then you will need to choose at least one accent color for the trim. Some homes even have two accent colors.
Choose an accent color that is significantly different from your paint color. You don’t want to pick light grey for your home, and then dark grey for the trim. Now everything blends together, and nothing is accented.
The safest thing you can do is choose white or black for your trim. Both of these colors are going to be more affordable (especially white). Plus, they work great as an accent color no matter what color you choose for your home.
Another advantage is that it is easy to touch up your trim should it need it. There is no trying to match a sun-faded color. You simply buy white and start painting.
Choosing White for your Exterior Painting Project
If you really want to use a bright color, try using it as the trim instead of the main color. You could paint your home white or a light soft grey, then use your bold color as the accent.
Now you get to have your pop of color without it being overwhelming.
Pick Your Exterior House Paint Colors
Whatever exterior house paint colors you choose, you want them to complement and enhance the look of your home. The last thing you want is for your house color to inspire grimaces from passerby.
From there you’ll want to take a look around the neighborhood and at the style of your home. Choose a main and accent color that will not only look good on your home but enhance the overall look of the neighborhood.
Contact our experienced painters today for a free quote to paint the exterior of your home.